The Hardest Battle
by Smallbell
Summary: P4 Arena... Kanji likes a good fight, but what if he runs into someone that can crush him without lifting a finger. How the battle between Naoto and Kanji should have gone.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Persona 4 Arena or any of the characters, blaa blaa blaa and so on.

Note: This is set in the game Persona 4 Arena, yet this fic is the slightly different take on Kanji's and Naoto's story.

The Hardest Battle

Kanji wanders the hall of this fake Yasogami High, randomly running into invisible walls, swearing as he runs into yet another one. When Kanji first appeared in this place he took it for a dream. After all, last thing he remembers is falling asleep in his living room in front of his TV at home. Plus all of his sempai were talking shit, that wasn't like them. After he beat the crap out of Yosuke then Teddie he found out that he really was back inside the TV world again. And some sadistic bastard was at the top of this fighting Grand Prix. Well he wanted to fight the toughest and the hardest and that was what Kanji was planning on giving him.

The only good thing about this was that Naoto wasn't here. She didn't enter the TV with his sempai. Plus, according to Yosuke she hadn't gone missing like Teddie, Rise and he had. So she should be safe back in the real world solving some mystery that the cops called her in about.

Kanji at last reaches what looks to be where his next fight should be, a mostly empty class room. There is a space in the middle and the fake Teddie is already appearing on the monitor hanging from the ceiling.

"About time you got here Kanji-kun."

"It would have been a hell of a lot easier if you didn't put so many F-ing dead ends in my way!"

"Save that enthusiasm for your next fight."

Smoke fills the room and Kanji closes his eyes and coughs. When the smoke dies down he looks over at his next opponent and his heart stops. It is Naoto.

"No F-ing way! What the Hell are you doing here?"

Naoto holds a finger up to her lips. "Conversing now would be useless."

"Say what?"

Before Kanji can figure out what Naoto means by that her whole demeanor changes. "Well if it isn't the mama's boy, Kanji."

"What did you say?"

"I said you are a mama's boy. Isn't it true? You act all tough but you are really nothing more than a pathetic mama's boy. What's worse you aren't even all that manly, always sewing crap. If I didn't know better I would think you were a girl."

"Hey!"

"But what really disgusts me is the fact that you like me!"

"Who told you?!"

"As if I could like a stupid girly boy like you. We are nothing alike, and have no common ground. If it weren't for all of our other friends I would have never even considered being your friend."

Each word Naoto spoke was like a knife to his heart. All this day dreams and hopes crushed in a moment. His shoulders slumped down and he couldn't look up at Naoto, his eyes just looked at his feet. "Is that really true?" He whispers.

"Of course it is. I only started talking to you because of the case. I would be happy never to see your face again. You don't deserve to win the Grand Prix."

"I guess you're right I am pathetic. "

Rise's voice can be heard over the PA system. "It's time to get this fight started. Are you ready? Fight!"

Suddenly Kanji feels himself knocked back and onto the floor. He stands up, only to be hit again. He braces for the next attack and blocks it. Naoto hops back and readies herself for Kanji's counter attack. But instead Kanji yells out. "I give up!"

To say Naoto is shocked would be an understatement. Her eyes are wide and her mouth is slightly open as Kanji slumps to the floor, and then yells out again. "You hear me! I give up! Naoto can move on."

The TV monitor flicker on, and the fake Teddie appears. "Kanji, that was pathetic. The worse fight ever. I'm disappointed. Well Naoto it looks like you win. Your next fight won't be so easy, I promise that."

Naoto turns from the TV towards where Kanji is sitting on the floor, looking down. She has never seen Kanji look so downtrodden and as she looks closer she can see that Kanji is on the verge of crying. "Kanji, I-"

"Just leave Naoto. You've said enough."

"But Kanji I should explain."

"What's there to explain? You were plain enough about how you feel."

"That's just it, I didn't say the things you think I did."

Kanji glances up at Naoto with a confused look on his face. "Huh?"

Naoto kneels down so that she can look Kanji in the eye. "Whomever is in charge of this Grand Prix can make us see and hear whatever they want. They make fake conversations in order to convince friends to fight."

"So the stuff you said before…."

"I didn't really say it. You and I both heard different things, designed for us to get mad at one another and fight."

"Oh….I guess that makes sense. So you really didn't say those things?"

"No I did not. I believe they were generated by our own fears and insecurities. "

"So you don't think I'm a pathetic mama's boy?"

"Not in the least. In fact you were one of the few people I was afraid I'd have to fight. I didn't think that I'd be able to beat you."

"Well, I gave up. So looks like you're the one moving on."

"That's what I don't get. Why did you give up?"

"What's the point in fighting when ya already been beat with words? Besides nothing you coulda said would have made me fight ya."

Naoto looks into Kanji's eyes, her face full of confusion. "I still don't understand why you would give up. The strongest person needs to get to the top and fight the individual who is in charge of this. I know that you are a better fighter than I am."

Kanji sighs and looks down. "I ain't never been one for thinking much. The guy who's in doing this Grand Prix thing is smart. I don't think it's muscle we need at top, I think it'll be brains. If anyone can solve this it's you."

Naoto smiles, "you may be quiet correct. But somehow I don't think that's what was going on in your head when you gave up."

"I already told ya. I could never hurt ya. Once I saw who I was supposed to fight I knew I'd have to just give up."

"So even before I spoke-"

"Damn it Naoto! We don't have time for this heart to heart. You need to get to the announcement room and stop this. We'll talk after. "

Naoto smiles and nods, "You are right. I'll be going then. But when this is over I'd still like to talk to you. "

"Yeah, sure sure." Kanji says, waving Naoto on. "Just beat 'im to a pulp for me."

Naoto smiles, "I will."

With that said, Naoto leaves. Kanji watches her back and all he can think of is that he hopes she forgets about having that talk when all of this is over.


	2. Chapter 2

Kanji stumbles home from Junes. After getting out of the TV everyone agreed that they were too tired to do anything else today. As he enters his house he hears his mother, but ignores her as he heads up to his room. He falls onto his bed, not even bothering to take off his jacket and is asleep by the time his mother comes up to check on him.

Kanji jumps as his cell rings, waking him up. He picks it up, not even bothering to look at the number before answering. "Yo, what ya want?"

"Hello Kanji-kun." Says a voice with an accent that is hard to forget, Labrys. "I wanna give you guys a real good bye. I'll be meeting yas near the gas station at the shopping district."

"That sounds great. See ya there."

Soon everyone is standing around a limo giving Labrys hugs and well wishes. Kanji stands back a bit just watching. He didn't get bubby bubby with her like Teddie, and the others did. After the car drives away and is out of sight, enough though Teddie is still waving, the group heads off towards Junes, and Yu-sempai's welcome back party. Naoto seems to be lost in thought. Kanji can only hope that she is thinking about Labrys, and not what happened between them inside the TV.

Author's notes: This is the last chapter of "hardest battle" but I will be continuing this story line in another fic, that won't focus on only Naoto and Kanji. It will be called "The Fallout" It will be more about what happens to the team when they return to school again, with a lot of people having seen the commercial for the P-1 Grand Prix, and the embarrassing taglines. Look for it soon.


End file.
